Valt Aoi & Shu Kurenai: (Book 5/ Epilogue) The Last Legacy

Ep 7: The Meeting! Part 1

The following morning, Valt found himself standing outside the towering skyscraper that was the WBBA headquarters, gazing up at the building under the cover of a cooler, cloudier sky. His attention was focused on a prominent advertisement that adorned the front of the structure, showcasing a lineup of the WBBA's Legends. With a nod to each of their personalities, they were each captured in various poses—smirking, striking confident stances, crossing their arms or flashing genuine smiles, as if they were ready to take on any challenge thrown at them.

In the center of them all stood Valt himself, hands on his hips, beaming with pride. Shu and Aiger flanked him, their expressions reflecting their personalities. AIger wore a determined smile, ready to challenge anyone who dared cross his path, while Shu's humble smile exuded a sense of gratitude.

The television screen in the center of the building below the Legends broadcasted the motto of the advertisement: "Friends Unite, Legends Ignite! Become a Legend Today!"

Valt couldn't help but chuckle softly at the irony of the slogan, considering the history of conflicts and rivalries among some of the legendary blades, such as Lui and Shu and not to mention Silas and Drum.

But what really made him laugh was the recollection of the chaotic day when the WBBA had gathered all the legendary bladers to take pictures for the advertisement. It was a logistical nightmare of coordinating everyone's schedules and had been a challenge in itself. Some like Lui had complained about the clash with his training schedule, while others like Aiger, Silas, Drum and Gwynn had been located on the opposite side of the world not able to make it in time. Some bladers had even gone off the grid like Xander, requiring multiple meetings and schedule changes to finally settle on a date.

But even with everyone present, it still ended up being a mess. Lui, Zac, and Rantaro had all insisted on being in the center to the point they had started battling. Drum wanted to be positioned next to Delta but also near Aiger. While Gwynn and Free both didn't want to be there to the point where Free just laid down on a couch and watched, waiting.

Eventually after explaining the rationale behind the lineup was based on their rankings, they had all compiled putting on a show for the cameras, painting a dazzling picture of what people thought the legends were. However, as soon as the photoshoot had concluded, everyone had dispersed, claiming that they had more important matters to attend to than a mere photoshoot.

Valt had understood, back when he was known as Brown Eye Theodore, would occasionally take him out for photoshoots and press conferences, all aimed at showcasing his power and inspiring young blades. Now he understood the importance of maintaining an image for the WBBA, especially with dark bladers like Theodore and Phi and others who had tainted the purity of the sport.

Nevertheless, it wasn't the sight of the long line of the Legendary 14 bladers that held Valt's attention. Instead, his focus was drawn to the absence of Phi, the blader who had mysteriously vanished several years ago. Although Theodore had confessed to Phi's murder, Valt cound't help but feel that there was a missing piece to the puzzle, a hidden truth that had yet to be uncovered.

However, despite Phi's vanishing act, he had still been acknowledged as a legend, having proven his strength by defeating Drum and numerous other bladers below his rank.

"Valt? Are you coming?" Sasha asked following Shu ahead of her.

"Yeah! Coming." He announced, glancing one last time at the advertisement he ran towards Sasha and Shu following them into the building.

Entering the building, the Hall of Bladers welcomed him with a display of portraits adorning the walls. Each frame held the likeness of renowned bladers, while trinkets and souvenirs commemorated the noteworthy tournaments they had each participated in. Sasha stopped, taking it all in in the center of it all as Valt followed Shu deeper into the building.